[Ord Cantrell] Shared Interests

[Aurelian Keth]

De-Purteen, Ord Cantrell, Outer Rim Territories​

Aurelian had put his name, well his alias Alec Korr, out amongst a few of the smugglers in the Galactic Alliance to seek out those that could be trusted if they had any information to share on the old Jedi Order. It had largely been a complete failure and not the smartest of ideas but he had been desperate to make some sort of progress. In fact it was largely a waste of time given recent developments, however he this was the final lead from that early plan so he decided to follow through with it. The risk was minimal, he was using a well-established alias and his Alliance allegiance was hidden.

For now he was just Alec Korr, wandering historian and philosopher and to those who needed to know his studies involved the extinct Jedi Order. He had gotten by fairly well by using the excuse that his area of expertise was the Late Republic and Early Imperial eras which obviously had to include the extinction of the Jedi. Even thinking about that last part brought a scowl to his features. He wondered if they would ever recover everything that had been lost in the years since then after darkness grasped the galaxy.

It was a sunny and pleasant day thankfully as Aurelian sat at a small table outside a café. He was drinking an actual coffee, he’d gotten used to pretty poor quality caf and had forgotten what a good cup could taste like.

Glancing at his datapad he checked the local time and noted that his contact should be here any moment. A man named Torin who had been told he was meeting an academic from Coruscant. The other man supposedly had information to share on the Jedi and shared an interest in the topic, so hopefully he had something worth adding to Aurellan’s studies.

@ZtheInquisitor

 

[Torin Crow]

Torin was a skeptic at best, Ord Cantrall had been a planet that he frequented quite often these days. Taking odd jobs and mostly just trying to survive. To stay off the trail of the Sith of course, but where could someone like him go, he was just one man with one ship, no way to find the Rebellion, and for all he knew the Jedi were actually dead and gone. They were all doomed to live under the yoke of the Sith anyhow. Why not just make the most of it and just live.

Yet he found himself learning that an academic from Coruscant wished to speak to him. What that is he had exactly no idea could it be a Rebellion contact, or could it be all a trap that the Empire suddenly knew of what was happening. Of his wishes to seek out the Rebellion to fight back against the Empire. It was a sunny day, the city still largely recovering from protests. He arrived in a Cafe giving a homing beacon to follow who the message came from.

Arriving to see a man sitting at a table enjoying a cup of Caf. Torin couldn't tell what to make of him, or to even trust him for the most part. In this galaxy these days you couldn't trust anyone or even anything for that matter. These dangerous times had taught Crow that the hard way. Stepping forward slowly. The man looked a little older than him, a beard around his face and carried a more scholarly look. Looking at him and speaking in a rather cautious tone. "I assume you are the Academic that contacted me, who are you and what do you want?"

@Aurelian Keth

 

[Aurelian Keth]

Reading an old document he’d downloaded onto his datapad the scholar glanced up from the device as a man spoke to him. A young man, barely more than a boy, stood before him. He was short and slender but had a hard quality to him, like he’d been through many more years than he possessed. A trait that seemed far too frequent in these dark days. The Empire wasn’t kind to many of its citizens and there were billions of souls who bore the brunt of the Empire’s demands and cruelties upon their backs.

Smiling at the newcomer he gestured to the seat opposite him. “Please sit Mr. Crow.” He could see the man’s caution, he could practically feel it and he knew that trust did not come easily to most these days. It certainly didn’t come easily to Aurelian.

Whether or not the man sat the rebel would continue. “My name is Alec Korr, a historian and student of ancient philosophy from the University of Coruscant. I am currently search for some information on…” he paused and seemed to consider his words before continuing “… more esoteric areas of the past. Unfortunately such things are not widely studied in the core and so I’ve been forced to search for stories and second hand information in a more round about fashion such as this.” he said with a belaboured sigh although he still smiled at the other man. His expression pleasant and warm. His voice had been calm, gentle and patient as he spoke to the other man. Aurelian didn’t try to disguise their conversation, didn’t use anything but a soft conversational tone and sat relaxed while cupping his mug of caf. He’d learnt long ago that hiding in plain sight was the best way to conduct business. People ignored one another in public but nothing drew the attention of strangers more than abnormal or secretive behaviour.

Waving down a service droid he glanced at Torin. “Perhaps you would join me in a cup of caf as we discuss matters?”

@ZtheInquisitor

 

[Torin Crow]

Torin couldn't really say he trusted the man, he hadn't really trusted anyone since escaping Coruscant. He had been on the run from the Sith, taking jobs here and there of whatever kind just to make ends meet. Just to survive and stay as far away from the Sith as possible. He had no desire to get sent back to Coruscant again and to be forced to work on the Empire's weapons of destruction, there was always spies everywhere. Servants of the Emperor in every civilized system of the galaxy even if Ord Cantrall leaned towards the neutral spectrum of matters, to the Sith it meant nothing of course.

Hearing the man speak he introduced himself as Alec Korr and already seemed to know who Crow was when speaking his name even. Torin hesitantly debated the decision of taking a seat. As far as he knew, he didn't know this man and even if he wanted to talk about some academic things to which Torin hardly knew anything about. Was simply beyond him of course. How did he know this wasn't a trap? How did he know that if he sat down for all he knew he could have some Sith Assassin end him right there.

After deciding for several minutes, he nodded pulling out the chair and sitting down scooting the seat up, as to allow himself to get more comfortable as he looked to the man. Raising his eyebrow skeptically, he first asked for a cup of caf and then proceeded to speak to the man known as Alec Korr. "You said something about matters of the past? What do you exactly mean? And what would it have to do with me?" He questioned him, as the droid brought his cup of caf and went about its business.

@Aurelian Keth

 

[Aurelian Keth]

This boy was definitely skittish by any definition of the word and that was coming from a man who sometimes wondered if he lived by the word paranoid. Aurelian didn’t know much about Torin beyond what his contacts had told him so he couldn’t guess at what he’d been through or what sort of enemies he’d made along the way. He possibly had a very good reason for his caution, something he could understand, but there wasn’t much he could do for the stranger in that regard. The best he could provide was to make this interaction as easy as possible.

Sipping at his caf he remained silent as the young man stood still seemingly deliberating between staying and fleeing. Eventually Torin took a seat and the scholar give a friendly, even encouraging, smile in his direction. He let the man order his drink, speaking to the droid himself to get a refill, and then silently listened to Torin ask his questions before resuming.

“Yes the past. I am a historian of sorts, studying what had been lost to time. Much of much research is in areas that can be easily sought out in the libraries of the galaxy.” he said happily, pausing only momentarily to enjoy another delicious sip of caf. “Having access to such knowledge is of course wonderful and I suppose we should be thankful that the planetary governments allow it at all.” he kept his tone neutral, neither praising the Empire or revealing his true disgust for it. Neutrality for now. It was safest that way.

“However, unfortunately, there are certain aspects of the past that some people would rather we not study. Now I am sure they have their reasons but I am a slave to knowledge you see, to questing for the unknown and so I must obey my desires and seek out such forbidden lore.” He was speaking far more fancifully than he normally would, far more energetically but that was for the sake of his cover. The act he put on was more akin to the eccentric upper class academics he’d studied under at the University all those years ago. Even his accent was feigned with a touch of Coruscanti to it rather than his natural rustic Outer-Rim tones.

“But how am I to seek out such things? Well if the libraries, the universities and the assorted archives are of no help them exploration is all that is left. So I travel seeking what is not known. To assist me in such things I have made friends all over the galaxy and one of these whispered your name to me Mr Crow as sharing an interest of mine, an interest in the sorts of areas that the University can not help me with.” as he spoke he took out a datapad. It contained a very limited set of information, the meagerest scraps, of the Jedi histories he had uncovered. Not enough to reveal anything that the man shouldn’t know but enough to make it obvious that it was the histories and philosophies of the supposedly extinct Jedi Order that Aurelian sought.

Sliding the datapad across the table he smiled. “So Mr Crow, tell me, is this an area you might be able to provide me some help with? Even the most meagre legends or myths may be helpful.”

@ZtheInquisitor

 

[Torin Crow]

Torin sat quietly, sipping his caf as the man spoke. From what he could tell, he didn't look dirty, looking clean and carrying the look of what he would say a more a field librarian. He spoke with a gentle and kind manner that had made him feel at ease. From the friendly tone he gave off, he sounded as if he was not a Sith Spy... Revealing that he was a Historian a being who collected records or what is left of a time long forgotten. Eroded by Force knows how long of Sith rule... He couldn't even imagine what life was like back then, he used to dream of it, but his time on the run from the Sith and the harsh factories in the Works on Coruscant had made him a harsh and bitter young man. He listened closely as he clearly wasn't a Sith spy but as far as he knew the Sith controlled the past, present, and future.

Even if there was such a past as the man spoke. The Sith Empire both in the Core and the Outer Rim had known well to erase all records of such a time, he had heard stories of a Jedi Order and the so-called Galactic Republic. But as far as Torin knew they were all stories, nothing more than to provide hope for the Sith's labor during the roughest of times. He personally refused to believe it, the bitter young man having lost hope during his travels in the Galaxy, remembering the death of his friends at the hands of the Empire.. That truly was the day such stories died for him..

The man proceeded to speak further as the two quietly enjoyed the cups of Caf, Revealing that someone knew of Crow and had sent Alec Korr in his way, it could have been anyone having taken various jobs in the Outer Rim. The man was looking for relics of such a forgotten age, but what was he looking for? It was shortly answered as the datapad was slipped to Torin's end. Picking up the datapad slowly, he analyzed the data inside, seeing various ancient texts as if written on some type of parchment in Aurebesh. He read it as Jedi Histories... Scraps here and there telling of their philosophy. He believed the Jedi as largely nothing more than a story. His eyes widened, as he looked to the man and asked, as the man himself propositioned an offer of aiding the man on his quest.

"I have always heard stories, I even visited one of their worlds... I all thought it was all stories when I slaved in the Works on Coruscant... But I must ask was the Jedi real, I explored ruins yet is there anything more than just texts... Is there Holograms anything??" He said with slight desperation in his voice, recounting his time on Ossus. He wanted to know if it was all true if it wasn't just a myth..

@Aurelian Keth

 

[Aurelian Keth]

“As someone who has spent many years on Coruscant I can whole heartedly agree that it is not a planet that anyone should live on, especially if you’re trapped in the Works.” he replied with genuine sympathy. “Even in the more pleasant areas, such as the University and Senate grounds, there is a certain… unpleasantness in my opinion. The planet is teeming with corruption, lies, deceit and, worst of all, the Sith. Perhaps the dark side thrives on Coruscant but it was not always such…”

Aurelian paused and sipped at his caf again. To any passer-by they were simply friends having a pleasant drink while chatting. It was a good image to give while discussing matters that the Empire would not approve of, nowhere was overly safe to discuss anti-Imperial matters these days even beyond the Empire’s boundaries. Gesturing to the datapad Aurelian smiled. “Once upon a time the Republic Senate, fairly elected leadership from across the galaxy, ruled the City. Instead of Sith the Jedi would be found on the Capital, especially the diplomats who would travel through the galaxy seeking to bring peace through words rather than force.” he said with a wistful smile. “The Jedi served the Senate and in turn served for the good of the Republic. I am sure in those days Coruscant was a much less oppressive place although I have no doubt it still had its share of vapid fops in the upper classes.”

The man leant back in his chair, staring over the brim of his cup at Torin, as he considered the man’s words. “Real they were my friend. Very real. I have visited ruins where Temples once stood, I have walked on the surface of the worlds that they protected, I have even walked in a Tomb that was built to be a secret sanctuary for survivors of the purge. There I found an ancient lightsaber, an untouched archive and… some other wondrous things.” he said with a smile.

He paused… there was only one thing he had with him that he could physically show the man in terms of artefacts. “Tell me Mr. Crow do you know what Kyber Crystals are? They are the precious crystals that are used in lightsaber creation. They are colourless and appear to be normal crystals but they respond to life, if you were to grab one it would warm your hand without actually changing temperature. However they choose a Force Sensitive and sing to them through the Force. When such a person finds said crystal and units with it the crystal when change colour. Blue, Green, Yellow and so forth, this dictates the colour of the lightsaber blade. The Sith force them to become Red through some method that I do not really understand.”

Aurelian paused. There was something about this man, clearing his mind as Aurora had told him he focused and felt… a soft whistle. It wasn’t like the wind-like song or the rushing gale he’d felt previous, it was muted and chaotic. Something pushed him to do what he did next, he was reluctant to show the man but felt it was the right step. Reaching for his neck Aurelian withdrew a pendant from which hung a blue crystal. Taking it off he handed it to Torin as his instincts suggested.

“It once resided within the blade of the Jedi. An individual long dead, discovered by salvagers. I have been able to confirm its authenticity since then.” he said leaning forward as Torin took the pendant. “Clasp it in your hand... and focus on nothing but the gem… think of it as a person whom you are giving all your attention to.” he instructed with a warm smile. “Humour me.”

The words where coming to Aurelian without him really thinking it through but somehow it felt right. All living beings where connected to the force and the Kyber Cystal was a physical personification of it. Perhaps it was just that Torin’s need to know about the Jedi, to confirm the stories, to know and explore what was left behind reminded the scholar of himself. That desperation, the obsession, had transformed lately of course. With Aurora’s assistance Aurelian had stepped into a bigger, brighter, universe. Since then it had been less about needing to prove the stories true and had become more about rebuilding what was lost, helping the secret Order restore it’s once great archives.

The rebel remained silent and watched as Torin held the blue crystal. Emptying his mind he attempted to open himself to the Force, to try and listen to see if anything happened with the other man that he could detect. Of course Aurelian was still new to this whole Force business and there was no guarantee he’d sense anything, or even understand anything he might sense.

Whatever the case once Torin was done Aurelian would take the gem back, placing it around his neck, and put his finished cup of caf down on the table. Smiling at Torin he would nod. “So tell me about the world you walked upon and the ruins you saw? I would be very interested.” he requested putting his datapad away.

“Perhaps we should walk and talk?” Aurelian kept his voice as calm as it had always been, his expression peaceful and friendly without the slightest sign of distress or concern. “After all, we’ve perhaps talked about these matters enough here for now. Wouldn’t you say that walking and talking might be a wiser option… besides…” he paused and with a grin let his gaze wander across the surrounding buildings. “I so rarely get to see other worlds that are so civilised, outside of Coruscant of course, and De-Purteen is quite beautiful. A true gem of the Outer Rim, I am surprised something so elegant exists this far from the Core.”

 

[Torin Crow]

Torin was surprised to hear what the man was even saying, all the stories he had heard, the Republic, the Jedi... He couldn't believe it he often tried to tell himself that it was nothing. Nothing more than simple stories created for children, yet as he leaned in, sipping the Caf that was offered to him, the man spoke with wonder, as he told Torin that such stories were real, that the Jedi were peacekeepers and the Republic was but a kind government at least till the rise of the Sith. The Sith from the stories he heard were Jedi themselves, giving in to their emotions and thus ultimately led to the war that destroyed both the Jedi and the Republic along with it.

When he spoke of uncovering a tomb, along with that of an archive, he raised an eyebrow curiously, as he spoke more about finding what was called a Kyber Crystal. Truth be told he didn't know what it was until the man started to explain that it was often used to power lightsabers. Images of Red sabers still haunted him to this day as the man explained that the Kyber Crystals were in some way living beings themselves. Although they do not have eyes, ears, nose or a mouth to speak with, they communicate in other ways.

It led to Alec pulling out a necklace that was tucked and hidden from those who kept a close eye on the man, the crystal while looking as if it was nothing but an ordinary crystal, blue in color. He struggled to grasp at first if this was all that was needed to see that the Jedi were real, sliding the crystal over to him. Torin gently cradled it in his fingers. Feeling how it was warm within the palm of his hand, he felt nothing until he saw flashes... Images, Men in robes, wielding Lightsabers of their own... A whisper silently calling him. His eyes widened in shock, he returned the crystal over to Alec not able to speak about what he had just seen. Even if it was bits and pieces.

When asking of the world that Torin had visited showing clear academic interest, Torin was able to finally speak. "When I visited the world.. The world of Ossus, it was not by choice. I felt strange as if a voice or some feeling was guiding me, and when I did land on the jungle world. I saw a ruin... A great library perhaps.. It was dilapidated too much to hardly tell, much of nature had taken back the rest of it, even though it sounded like the ruins you have visited."

With Alec bringing up a very valid point, he signaled the Droid server and tossed a credit chip at him paying for the Caf. If they were to continue discussing these matters it should not be in one place. After all, the Sith had spies everywhere and who was to say they could be arrested or even worse.

Standing up, waiting for his new acquaintance to follow suit. He walked slowly with him responding in regards to the planet itself. "It may not have the beauty of the core.. But it's a safe haven from the Sith... Even with the Jedi being real. You want me to help you yes, what becomes of me now?" He looked at the man with a questioning gaze, wondering where his path would lead him next.

@Aurelian Keth

 

[Aurelian Keth]

Aurelian felt it, his Jedi training was still in it’s early days and he wasn’t certain he would. It was like a pulse through the force, a ripple carrying emotion and surprise. He was sure of it now. This Torin was Force Sensitive… perhaps when he got back to HQ the Padawan would inform his Master. If the Jedi wished to seek out potential students then this man would make the list, if even Aurelian could sense it then perhaps this man was quietly strongly connected to the Force. The scholar smiled, if nothing else that made the trip worth the time.

Taking the crystal back Aurelian placed the cord around his neck and tucked the pendant back under his clothing out of sight. While the pair walked Aurelian considered what Torin told him. Moving in silence he nodded slightly. It would appear that Torin was indeed Force Sensitive, he had heard something and felt something quite strongly on Ossus. Aurelian had felt the same sort of thing when he visited the Tomb out on the Outer-Rim. Although his visit had ended a little more spectacularly.

“Quite fascinating Mr. Crow. I’m not sure about these feelings or sounds, whispers you called it, and where they would come from. I would recommend you speak to no one else about such things however, if anyone in the Imperial government ever heard that you’d visited Ossus.” Aurelian paused and shook his head. “There is a reason I have to travel the whole way out to the Outer-Rim to conduct my research. I’ve never tried visiting Ossus, the Sith Academy there is too high profile being the education facility that houses many of the upper class children of the Empire.” It was an off-hand comment but also a warning in case Torin’s curiosity got the better of him and he wanted to revisit such a place.

Aurelian clasped his hands behind his back and looked around. “It is quite beautiful, arguably more so for it’s lack of Imperial and Sith trappings.” he informed the other man. “There was once a great many beautiful places in the Galaxy. The Empire has put it’s stamp on them all. Ossus is just one such world that once held much beauty.” he said.

Glancing around Aurelian casually continued. “Much like such beauty there used to be numerous Jedi Temples, Enclaves and Academies. More often than not ruins do not even remain of such places, the Sith built their temples right on top of them. Often such places where built on places of power, places where the Force was strong and the Sith are ever greedy to lay ownership to such special zones.”
Glancing up at the sky the man shook his head slightly. “It is a great shame my friend. So much has been lost that not even the most revered historians will ever rediscover. The Empire wants ignorance reign over such things. It is safer for them for us not to remember that there was a time when things where different.” Aurelian flashed a smile at the man. “But some of us remember nonetheless.”

Looking at Crow he tilted his head. “Tell me Mr. Crow, what path took you the entire way from the Core, from the Capital itself, all the way to the Outer-Rim. It’s a long road to travel.”

 

[Torin Crow]

Torin kept moving along the city streets with Alec, watching as Sith patrolled the streets. They had only spoken when they were out of earshot, Torin always felt nervous when around the Sith Authorities as the man. When hearing that the planet he had visited carried a Sith Academy he shuddered a bit. Just to think that he was close enough to be in that world. To perhaps be captured by the Sith or even worse. Such fates had terrified him, coming from the Works on Coruscant it had been a living hell just trying to survive down there.

On the other hand, the man found himself fascinated. The scholar spoke more speaking of the Jedi that had numerous sites all over the galaxy. The young man thought of the Jedi as nothing more than stories until finding out just from that crystal alone that they were real. It had almost terrified him, and to think that they had led to this dark future, they themselves caused the Sith to rise, and ultimately meet their own destruction.

When he asked what took him from Coruscant all the way to the Outer Rim, his face took on a grim one. Clearly not a very light subject for him to talk about on it's own. He responded in kind. "As I told you I was in the Works, I was a slave helping the Sith build new weapons of War. My parents died, and so a couple of years ago I saw a chance to escape. I did with my friends, stole a freighter and tried to get the Sith off our backs. We did make it to the Outer Rim, managed to make a new life for ourselves. Only for them to die months later. I now take odd jobs just trying to survive.. Move from place to place to avoid the Sith."


@Aurelian Keth

 

[Aurelian Keth]

“I can sympathise.” he said softly. Aurelian continued walking for several minutes in silence until they were on the outskirts of the City and the area looked sparsely populated. Seemed as safe a place as any. “I am afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you Torin.” he said using the man’s first name.

“The main parts of what we spoke about was truthful. My area of study and the facts I have revealed about such where all spoken honestly however I am not an academic of the University of Courscant.” he said dropping the pure Coruscanti accent. Instead when he spoke now it was with a mixture of the crisp Coruscant tones but mixed with a broad sounding undercurrent which spoke of his rural Outer-Rim origins. This bastardised accent was Aurelian’s real one these days.

“I had been a member of the University years ago but that isn’t true any longer.” he told the man with a vague smile. “I lost my position as a member of that institute when they discovered my studies. An arrest warrant was also issued for my arrest and my family…” he shrugged still wearing that faint, albeit somewhat sad, smile.

“Anyway needless to say I do understand your… wariness of the Sith.” he said with a chuckle moving on. “I too have done my fair lot of Planet skipping to try and keep away from Imperials.” Years of it in fact. Alone. Well until Ryloth anyway.

“I also tell you this because the information I’ve provided to you, basic as it may seem, can be dangerous. The Empire wants us to remain ignorant of such things so it is best not to discuss what I’ve told you with anyone else.” he warned.

Folding his arms behind his back he pondered what to do next. Glancing at the other man he smiled. “Well if there’s nothing else I guess that will be enough for today… unless you have anything else you would like to ask me?”